


@joeydrewstudios posted again

by alienboyv



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Gen, Missing Persons, Modern Era, Social Media, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-02 09:18:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17261612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alienboyv/pseuds/alienboyv
Summary: . @joeydrewstudioswho am i?





	1. 2017

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> . @joeydrewstudios
> 
> is it really 2017?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TSV/The Sun Vanished inspired this tbh

     Back in the 1980s, there was an animation studio. Joey Drew Studios, only the most niche of film and animation students know about it. It closed in 1983 due to going bankrupt, likely because of the fact it is said Joey Drew, the owner of the studio (hence the name), was constructing an amusement park. It would be modeled off their main character, Bendy, the little darlin' devil.

But see, if that was just it, would I be writing about it?

Let me set the stage.

1983, Joey Drew Studios officially close, ceasing all production. It was on that fateful fall day that around hundred missing person posters were printed.

Every single worker had gone missing, with no trace. The only place they could be was the studio, but they had no warrant to check it. 

But Joey Drew would've denied them it anyway.

See, not to accuse the man of anything, he was the only person who wasn't missing.

The man who wrote the checks and caused the debt is the man who got to write the history.

After a few months, people gave up. They simply decided that those people died or ran away.

The local police had no evidence, nothing they could observe or speculate. It became one of the most depressing cold cases.

Then there's Henry Stein. 

Henry Stein quit in 1980, co-founder of the studio and speculated to be the true creator of Bendy. He's the only other person to have worked there that wasn't missing besides Joey.

Henry Stein was already reserved when working there, so it was nearly impossible to find him as his next door neighbor didn't know someone lived there until the police came looking for him.

When they found him and delivered the news, he almost broke down. They questioned him, but it turns out he had been at his late wife's funeral that day.

They let him go back to his children and continued to investigate the dead-end case.

One could lie about his own name and people would fall for it, the other having moved on from the studio that only brought tragedy long before.

30 years later, 2013, Joey reaches out to Henry in hopes of seeing him again.

Continuing on the formula as before, August 31st was the last day Henry Stein was seen alive.

So, yeah. Crazy, right?

There are some wild theories, but none have been proven as every intruder to the abandoned studio also was never seen again. I believe-

"You use too many first-person pronouns, this is an essay, not a story." I shot up, broken out of my hyperfocused trance.

"Fuck, I do. Let me just-" Dani interrupts me.

"It's the end of class, we gotta go, Beth." I groaned, standing up and closing the laptop.

"Ok, ok, I'm coming..." He stood at the door, arms crossed.

"Let's head to math." Beth sighed and began jogging to her math class.

* * *

     "How was school, Beth?" Selenis, Beth's sister, asked as Beth came in.

"It was fine, Sel. How was nursing?"

"Same old, same old."

"I'm gonna fix some chicken tonight, is that alright?" They both nodded as their mom sat her purse on the table, handing Beth some gum.

Beth waved her mom and Sel, running off into her room. She landed on her bed, pulling out her phone and checking her messages.

* * *

  **ADDY**

YO YO YO

check this twitter acc out trust me

ur gon love me for it <3

https://twitter.com/joeydrewstudios

**BETH**

o shit

**ADDY**

i think it might be an arg thing?

**BETH**

arg?

**ADDY**

alternate reality game

it started like a week ago

**BETH**

cool, i'll check it out

* * *

     Beth stared at the first tweet, not too ominous but definitely sent chills. Guess the guy's a good storyteller.

\--

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_is it really 2017?_

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_have i really been here for almost 4 years?_

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_joey sent me the letter and i KNOW i shouldn't have gone to the studios but i had to. i hadn't seen him in years._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_should i start from the beginning? i feel so jumbled right now. ive felt so alone for what i guess is 4 years, this is the first human contact ive had._

_please tell me if you're here._

_\--_

     There were about 500 replies, ranging from "What the hell?" to "This is kinda fucked up. I love it."

The updates were pretty scarce, and unlike most ARGs, the suggestions people made were often either ignored or considered a bad idea by the person, later revealed to pretending to be Henry, behind the account.

Finally, he posts a picture.

\--

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_[A picture, the person taking it was likely almost shaking. It's dark but has just enough light to be able to see it. There seem to be stains, likely ink or something like that. Some stains look normal while others looks like vines. It looks almost black and white with a yellow tint. The camera seems to be looking out of something, like a box or hole in a door.]_

replies 

**stan loona! @riiixtakr**

_yo wtf_

**the uwu to my owo @memingisaverb**

_hella cool photoshop_

**addy♡ @rienne**

_thIS AINT IT CHIEF_

\--

     Beth stared at the picture. _That looks exactly like old photos of the studio, so he's either there or is really good at photoshop._

As time past, the updates became unpredictable. Sometimes they'd be updating at least once a day for a week or two, then they'd go silent for a month or so.

He hadn't uploaded anymore photos since the first one.

Finally, about 3 months after the account started, he uploaded a video. It was so strange, a video of a woman laughing with mechanic noises in the background. The camera was barely able to get her in frame, but from the blurry second she was there, she looked....well, indescribable.

Not in a good way.

He didn't update for a long time after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hnnnng  
> spacing paragraphs for social media is annoying tbh  
> i used "--" bc im lazyyy


	2. January 16th, 2019

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im not 100% sure how i'll fit the loop into this, for now its implied but that may or may not change.
> 
> ALSO
> 
> IM SO GLAD YALL LIKED THIS?? I DIDNT EXPECT PPL TO LIKE THIS AS MUCH AS IT SEEMS PPL DID?? 3 ppl told me they liked this idea/take on the modern take of batim and i was v glad!! thank yall!!

     "Listen up, ya little shits-" Devin pointed at the others, smirking.

"C'mon, dude! It's my damn birthday, show some respect." Beth raised upper body from her laying position.

Devin mock-gasped. "Me? Disrespectful? I'd never-"

"I'm going to shoot you, Dev." Dani said, eating a piece of pizza.

"Do it, coward. I ain't afraid!" Devin countered. 

Addy looked, dead-panned.

"Being afraid of death is the equivalent to being afraid to end a book." Beth pushed her lightly.

"We get it, you watched a documentary about philosophy once." Addy snorted and they continued to mess around until Beth's phone went off. She picked it up and started flapping her hand, hitting the table.

"Joey Drew Studios updated!" Addy squinted.

"It's been two years, are you serious?" Beth nodded, pointing to the phone's screen.

"Joey Drew Studios?" Devin questioned while Dani groaned.

"It's this unsolved mystery from the eighties that Beth's obsessed with."

"Not obsessed, intrigued by." Dani rolled his eyes.

"To-may-to, to-mah-to. Put down your phone, you can look at it later." Beth was about to talk back before Dani interrupted.

"You can explain it to Devin, okay?" Beth's eyes lighted up as Devin looked at Dani with a puzzled expression.

* * *

     At around midnight, Beth was finally able to sit down and read the tweets.

\--

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_im so sorry i went silent for so long. its already 2019. something happened._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_my memory is blurry.  at first, everything just felt like deja vu, like it's happened again and again before. but now i'm pretty sure it has. but i still can't change anything. no matter what i do, i end up back here with blurry memories and barely any recollection of what happened. i've tried and i've tried but it always ends up the same way._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_i know this sounds absolutely crazy and probably none of you believe me and i really can't blame you._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_people being turned into ink and cartoons coming to life is so far fetched, i barely believe it myself even after all this time. like this is a nightmare i'll wake up from. a movie replayed over and over again for no reason._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_maybe ive lost it? i don't really know. part of me hopes so, so that none of this is real._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_another part of me  does want this to be real so that there's a little bit of who i was still here._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_but that's so selfish. people have died and what do i want? for me to still be sane?_

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_this happened because i was selfish and left. now im doing the same thing except this time i can't leave._

\--

Beth hastly typed out. 

\--

**b @valjeanval**

_@joeydrewstduios i don't think it's as selfish as your making it out to be. why did you leave the studio in the first place?_

replies

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_it felt like all give, no take on my end. i understood joey was working as well but i was rarely seeing my ill wife and kids. i did all the animation by myself and it was pressuring._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_when i made bendy he made me scrap all my other animation and start solo-working on bendy. him and i started this company but i seemed to be doing most of the work while he just wrote his name on it._

**b @valjeanval**

_that sounds like you were justified in leaving?? idk man but u cant control what he did after you left so even if u werent justified it still wouldn't be your fault he did awful things??_

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_perhaps._

\--

     "What were you doing up at midnight?" Beth looked at Dani, who flicked her ear to keep her awake. "No, wait, I know. You were on twitter looking at Joey Drew Studios."

"Shush, you know how strict Mr. Dover is." Dani shrugged.

"He likes me, he won't get on to me."

"Maybe a little but he's such a hard-ass that-" Beth jumps in her seat, flinching, when the sudden sound of a ruler hits her desk.

"Ms. Aith, what's so important you must discuss it during class and try to bother Mr. Viv?"

"Nothing, sir..." Mr. Dover stepped away.

"I also know how to whisper." Beth shushed Dani and turned to the math problem.

* * *

     "You're getting back into that case?" Beth's mother said, cooking some Japanese recipe from Beth's grandmother. She squinted at it, confused at directions. "These directions are so complicated and I'm fluent in Japanese..." 

"Yeah?" Beth said, head in hand. There was a sudden knock at the door, Addy entered as she had a key.

"Sup, y'all!" She waved to Beth's mom and Sel, who wad visiting. "So, I have an idea but I need your guy's permission first."

"What is it?" Sel said. Beth nodded at Addy, also telling her to explain.

"Y'know how on Buzzfeed Unsolved they go to places when they investigate certain things?"

"You wanna investigate the area where Joey Drew Studios was?"

"...Yes? Not the building, obviously, just the area."

"I don't see any harm but I have work almost everyday due to flu season."

"I can take them, Mom." Sel said with smile.

"Fine. We'll see." Beth's mom continued cooking as Beth stood up and high-fived Addy. Sel snorted and went back to reading her book.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i signed up for the 8th grade psat :,,,) rip its on jan 22 (next tues) im r ip
> 
> so if this takes awhile its bc uhhh life is a b i t c h


	3. March 15th, 2019

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> . @joeydrewstudios  
> i can hear people

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have yall ever heard the black casket story? my sister told me it when i was 6 and it scared me bc she tried to bring me to the graveyard in our area to show me it was real lmao
> 
> basically this old man told his wife he wanted a blue casket, but when he died his wife put him in a black casket.  
> so later she got a phone call. something like black casket 3 miles away. another was black casket 2 miles away. black casket 1 mile away. black casket on your street. black casket in front of your door.  
> when the wife went to check, she saw nothing so she assumed it was kids prank calling and went to bed.  
> she got another call before she fell asleep.  
> black casket in your room. / black casket next to you.  
> the old woman was found dead the next day.
> 
> it wasnt THAT scary looking back on it but also i was sIX LMAO.

     Addy popped some candy into her mouth. "Well, at least the twitter resulted in us getting a good unsolved episode."

Beth looked at Sel's GPS, "I guess." _24 miles left._

"The motel has wifi, right? I don't wanna use up my remaining data." Sel nodded.

"How many miles are we away from the actual studio?"

"4, I think. That reminds me..." Sel turned the car into the gas station.  "Don't start bothering locals. From what I read, they don't like talking about it. It's taboo as all hell, and they especially don't like people who come for that exact reason. Trespassers are practically driven out."

Addy and Beth's eyes widened, "Fucking _yikes_."

"Yeah." Sel nodded and got out to get gas.

* * *

      "Have a good stay!" The old woman, Wilma, said to the three girls as she handed them their keys.

Sel started laying down rules in the motel room. "No leaving without permission, obviously. Basic laws, human decency, common sense, the like. I know you're sixteen now and think you're hot shit but I'm still the adult here."

"We know, Sel, you're twenty one now. You can drink." Addy snickered at Beth's response.

"Don't get snarky on me now." Sel sat on her bed and checked her phone.

* * *

    "Let's go, Beth." Addy said, dragging Beth by the hand into the shopping square.

"There's no need to say that, seeing as you're gripping my hand like you're about to fall off a cliff." Beth pulled out of her grip and they walked into the nearest flower shop. Franks' Flowers.

"What's your favorite kinda flower, Beth?"

"Pink or white buttercups, definitely. You?"

"Any kind of camellia, honestly." Addy went to the register and bought a pink and white buttercup and a red camellia.

"Your buttercup, my liege." Addy handed the small arrange of flowers to Beth. She gave a thumbs up and held on to them.

* * *

  **. @joeydrewstudios**

_flowers don't grow down here. nothing does. except rage and sorrow, i guess. but thats more metaphorical._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_god i miss flowers so much. i remember, joey use to love flowers. he'd tell me their meanings and he'd arrange them perfectly._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_he could've worked in a flower shop. i remember he'd always give me yellow tulips and primrose._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_i should've looked up the meaning myself_

* * *

     "A Panera bread. Nice!" Beth exclaimed and the girls ran into the building.

"Jesus, sorry." A guy sweeping the inside said as Beth ran into him.

"My bad." She looked at his name tag, Mark.

"Nah, nah. I was supposed to be looking out." Beth nodded and caught up with Addy.

* * *

     Beth collapsed on the bed she and Addy were sharing.

"First day and you're already worn out? Pft!" Addy pushed Beth and crawled onto the bed.

"It's nine at night." Addy shushed her.

* * *

     "Lazy day. It's a damn lazy day. Fuck you." Beth said, being dragged down the motel lobby. Addy continued walking, whistling.

They abruptly stopped. "What?" Beth turned to what Addy had crouched in front of.

"Pamphlets?" Addy nodded. "So what, it-" she stopped herself.

"It mentions it, doesn't it?"

"Yep! I thought this was taboo-" A cough from behind the counter pulled them out of their bubble.

"It's taboo, not illegal," Wilma said to the girls, coming out from behind the counter. They jumped, startled. "Oh, sorry, I must have scared you." Beth let out a nervous giggle and Addy muttered "sorta."

"So, uh, about this..." Beth rubbed the back of her neck. "Is it ok if I ask about it?"

"I'm not as pruney about it as others, so ask away." She rolled her eyes at "others."

"What...do you know about it?"

"As much as anyone else. Sorry to break it to you girls, there's no conspiracy, sadly."

"Theories?" Addy spoke up, shocking Beth.

"It's taboo for a reason." Wilma chuckled lightly. She bent down, "Don't tell anyone this but I think Drew killed them. My family believes that as well."

"Your family?" She pointed at her name tag. Wilma Lawrence.

"Lawrence?!" Beth exclaimed, getting her mouth covered by Addy.

"Samuel was a distant cousin to my mother. I was about thirty when he went missing and never met him, so it was really only a _truly_ personal matter for older folk and distant family." Wilma turned around. "This used to be a town of hundred-twenty people, you're going to meet at least five people related to someone who went missing."

"Oh..."

"Sorry to dull your excitement, girls, don't take it too seriously." She walked off, likely to get coffee.

* * *

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_sammy had a future. a beautiful future. one in hollywood and on broadway. i wish i hadn't brought him hear._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_it shouldn't have been him to have his future stripped away. it shouldn't have been wally, with his cute drawings_

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_it shouldn't have been norman, who worked so hard to get where he was._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_i knew these people. and still. i allowed them to stay._

**. @joeydrewstudios**

_with joey_

* * *

    "I told you going to that mom and pop shop would be great." Addy said, holding up her bag of little antiques. Beth shook her snow globe, nodding.

"Ah-" Beth tripped on something, breaking the snow globe. "Jesus, sorry, let's try to pick up some of..."

They stayed staring at the thing Beth tripped on.

"What. The. Fuck." Addy finally spoke up, pointing at it. "Is that a damn camera?"

Beth observed it. "It looks broken." 

"...we're gonna search the woods to find out where this came from, right? It looks like a camera used to take timed pictures, sporadically." 

"...god, you're a nerd. Of course we are."

They follow a light trail in the dirt, walking through the small woodsy area. 

"What the hell? What the hell? Wh-" Beth mutters, quickly interrupted the shock of the scene in front of them.

"Fuck this!" She whispered-yelled. Looking at the cameras placed in trees and bushes, numbers increasing as they continued.

"Jesus Christ, Beth, shut it." Addy rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, this is really fucking freaky! What is happening, I can't tell what is going on, why are there cameras all over the place-" Beth started babbeling.  
  
"Do I look like I know? Just stay calm and keep walking, we'll figure out what's going on eventually."  
  
Addy stopped, staring at the camera. She stood on her tippy-toes, grabbing a piece of paper off the camera. "Mark."  
  
"Mark? The guy from the Panera bread?"  
  
"Idiot put his name on it, why?"  
  
"Plot convenience, I guess."

"Fuckin' creep, I knew he was trouble." Addy grumbled.

"How?" 

Addy stayed quiet. "...y'know? He had that vibe." Beth made a "pfffft" sound. "Shut up."

* * *

     "Ok, yeah, no." Addy turned around, already sick of the sight in front of her. "I made one promise and I intend to keep it."

Beth felt enchanted by the studio. The 1979's building style, the obvious add-ons during the 80's. The old, dirty bricks that seem two seconds away from falling. Ignoring the marks time has left on it and the abandoned bulldozer and crane, it really felt like the 70's and 80's.

Addy noticed Beth's trance and grabbed her arm. "Ok, nerd, we're heading off."

"Wait a minute, how could it hurt to look inside?" Beth looked at Addy, trying to pout.

"The building will collapse on us, you imbecile. Let's leave." Beth continued to walk forward, accidentally making Addy fall down in the process. "Ok, fine, I guess we're going."

Beth walked up to the door. " _And I'm the bad influence_." Addy muttered under her breath.

* * *

 **. @joeydrewstudios**  
_i can hear people_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mentioned unsolved mainly bc i wanna make an unsolved chapter lmaooo i love my boys <3
> 
> addy in any other situation: haha lets go  
> beth: noooo :(
> 
> addy in a dangerous situation: yeah no i draw the line here  
> beth, dragging addy to it: but its cool :)


End file.
